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Suicide case: Videos of KIIT authorities threatening, insulting Nepali students trigger outrage, varsity takes U-turn after forcing Nepal students to leave campus

OpIndia Staff
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Suicide case: Videos of KIIT authorities threatening, insulting Nepali students trigger outrage, varsity takes U-turn after forcing Nepal students to leave campus

The reported suicide of a Nepali girl Prakriti Lamyal at Odisha’s Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) on 16th February has sent shockwaves across the nation. The BTech third-year student’s death over harassment by her ex-boyfriend Advik Srivastava and the negligence of the KIIT authorities have triggered a massive outrage among the students. Amidst the outrage and protests, it has been reported that Nepali students at KIIT were being forced to leave the campus.

Several videos of KIIT authorities threatening Nepali students to leave the campus surfaced on social media on 17th February. In one such video, the varsity authorities are seen telling students “Pack your bags and leave” the campus. In her bid to defend the varsity’s founder, one of the KIIT officials went on to brag about how the founder feeds 40,000 students for free. 

“You say you are not safe here. Pack your bags and go wherever you are safe. If I see any of you here, I’ll take disciplinary action. Do not insult the founder of this university. The man is feeding 40,000 students for free per day. Over 4 lakh students have graduated from here. We have been running it for over 20 years. Such an amount would even be more than your country’s entire budget,” the KIIT official said.

Nepali students at KIIT forced to leave campus, asked to return after the varsity’s U-turn

Notably, on Monday, the KIIT authorities issued a notice ordering all Nepali students to vacate the campus immediately. “The University is closed Sine Die for all the international students from Nepal. They are hereby directed to vacate the university campus immediately today on 17th February 2025,” a notice reportedly issued by KIIT read.

Subsequently, the Nepali students were forced to pack their belongings and were loaded into the varsity buses. These students were dropped at the Cuttack Railway Station and asked to return to Nepal. This came despite the fact that these students had no tickets, financial assistance and other facilities for the journey they were being forced to undertake.

“No train tickets or any directions have been provided to us. We were just loaded up on the hostel buses, sent to Cuttack, and ordered to leave for our homes at the earliest,” a Nepali student said.

One of the Nepali students told ANI, “…We were protesting for the (deceased) girl. We don’t know what their intentions are but we were forcibly made to vacate the hostel. There is no fixed schedule of the train, I have no money. We have not even had food. We are helpless…We received a notice that all students from Nepal are being suspended, and they have to vacate the hostel at the earliest. The staff members entered the hostel, made us vacate and even hit those who were not vacating quickly…”

Another one said, “…We were pushed out of the hostel today. A girl from Nepal was found dead yesterday. We went to International Office to find out more details about this but we could not find anything. We were there overnight, sitting on a dharna. We were sent back to hostel from there. We were finally told to pack up and leave within an hour. We have nothing with us. We don’t know how we will go. We have not even had food…We are trying to get a ticket…”

There were videos of KIIT security guards beating and shoving away the Nepali students. The University has not explained why they forced the legitimate students out of the campus and on what basis.

Amidst the outrage over the forced ouster of Nepali students from the campus, the KIIT administration took a U-turn and appealed the students to return to campus and resume their classes. The U-turn came after the videos of the staff’s threats and misbehaviour towards Nepali students went viral all over social media and media channels all over the country reported on the issue.

“The students are encouraged to return to the campus and will participate in the normal academics which shall be restored very soon. Their academic aspects will not be disturbed during this period and will be taken care of by the university. Accordingly, the temporary suspension of the academic classes and hostels is immediately withdrawn,” KIIT said.

Protesting students assaulted by guards, thrown away from campus, asked to “Go back to Nepal”

Notably, police platoons were deployed on Monday to control the situation as a large number of students gathered to protest against the Nepali student’s suicide. Some visuals with claims of guards at KIIT assaulting students have also surfaced on social media. The university officials have not issued any clarification on the said video so far. However, reports suggest that the students seen in the video are from other states and were not being allowed to leave the hostel.

Amidst a severe backlash over its high-handedness in the Nepali girl’s suicide, KIIT announced that it has set up a 24×7 control room to facilitate the return of Nepali students to the campus. A separate helpline has also been set up to provide “help and guidance” to the students.

“A dedicated control room is open 24×7 at KIIT Campus 6 to facilitate the return of Nepali students to the KIIT campus. Additionally, a 24×7 helpline [+91 7847064550 & +91 7855029322] has been set up to provide support and guidance. We urge all Nepali students to reach out for any assistance. KIIT remains committed to their safety and well-being,” KIIT said.

Accused Advik Srivastava arrested

Meanwhile, a KIIT student Advik Srivastava accused of abetting Prakriti Lamyal’s suicide has been arrested. It has been reported that despite her repeated complaints about the harassment the 20-year-old girl was being subjected to by her ex-boyfriend, the KIIT administration including the International Relations Office (IRO) did not help her other than warning the accused not to harass or blackmail the victim.

The victim was found dead in her hostel room on Sunday. Reports say that accused Advik Srivastava was arrested from Bhubaneshwar Airport on Sunday evening. The 21-year-old from Lucknow has been booked under section 108 of the BNS (abetment of suicide).

Several disturbing audio recordings have surfaced on social media in which Advik Srivastava can be heard abusing the Nepali student in filthy language, indicating the accused student’s abusive and toxic behaviour towards the victim.

Speaking about the case, Bhubaneshwar DCP Pinak Mishra said, “On Sunday evening, we received a complaint from one Siddhant Sigdel that his cousin had committed suicide in her hostel room. The police team immediately visited the spot and seized the body. Our scientific team has collected her laptop and phone as demanded by the agitating student.”

Meanwhile, Cuttack Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Datta Singh said, “Yesterday evening, we received information about the incident of suicide by one girl student of a third-year Computer Science in KIIT University. On this information, a case was registered. There was an allegation that this girl who belonged to Nepal was harassed by one student of KIIT University in third year Mechanical engineering. We investigated the matter, and we got prima facie evidence that there was some sort of harassment which could have prompted the girl to commit suicide, so we arrested the accused person; we examined him, and today, he has been forwarded to judicial custody. Yesterday, there was a sentimental, emotional outburst so both students belonging to Nepal, as well as India, joined together in protest against the university authorities, demanding justice. We deployed a police force at KIIT University…they were convinced by morning and now the situation is peaceful. We have seized some personal belongings like a mobile from the girl, and it will be first sent to the forensic science laboratory and then it will be analyzed to gather further evidence in this case…”

Nepali embassy and PM react to the Nepali student’s suicide

Taking to X, Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that two officers from the Nepali embassy in India have been deployed to counsel the Nepali students at KIIT. He added that efforts are on to ensure that these students have the option to either stay at the hostel and continue their classes or return to Nepal.

“Our Embassy in New Delhi has dispatched two officers to counsel Nepali students affected in Odisha.  Additionally, arrangements have been made to ensure they have the option to either remain in their hostel or return home, based on their preference,” PM Oli said.

On Monday, the Nepalese embassy in India issued a statement informing about their communication with the KIIT authorities regarding the safety of Nepali students amidst reports of their expulsion.

Regarding the developments taking place at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) located in the state of Orissa, India, Nepali students studying in the said educational institution were informed about the expulsion of the students and the Embassy had discussed it with the Registrar and representatives of the said educational institution.

“In the said discussion, the Embassy had requested that the educational institution should get the same arrangement as the hostel to ensure the safety of the Nepali students staying in the educational institution. Similarly, Nepali students residing in the said educational institution were requested to make necessary arrangements for conducting the classes. As per the request of the Embassy, ​​the said educational institution provided hostel accommodation to the students and provided information to the Embassy regarding arrangements for conducting classes for Nepalese students… Regarding this incident, the Embassy of Nepal is in constant contact with the Nepalese students, the Central Government of India, the Office of the Chief Minister of Orissa and other relevant Indian bodies and necessary cooperation and coordination is being done with the above bodies. If affected Nepali students and parents have any problems, they can contact the Embassy through the following email,” the Nepali embassy said.

Meanwhile, Nepal’s Foreign Affairs Minister took to X to inform that she has been in touch with the Indian authorities regarding the forced ouster of Nepali students from KIIT and about measures to be undertaken to ensure their safety.

“The news came in the media that Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal died in the hostel of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha, India, and after that, Nepali students were told to go home from the hostel. We have immediately taken this matter seriously and have started diplomatic initiatives. I have been in contact with the concerned authorities since this morning in relation to this incident. This morning itself, I instructed Dr. Shankar Sharma, the Nepali Ambassador to India, to understand the reality of the incident and to work with necessary promptness regarding the problems faced by Nepali students. Accordingly, he is working on it and a few moments ago, the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi has also issued a press release,” Minister Deuba said.

“Similarly, this afternoon, I also talked on the phone with Mr. Navin Srivastava, the Indian Ambassador to Nepal. He also informed me that he is making necessary efforts and coordination for the safety of Nepali students. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working on this matter and will provide information about the latest situation,” she added.

South Africa: World’s first ‘openly gay’ Imam shot dead in Cape Town, had established a mosque for gay Muslims

ANI
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South Africa: World’s first ‘openly gay’ Imam shot dead in Cape Town, had established a mosque for gay Muslims

Muhsin Hendricks, hailed as the world’s first Imam to say that he was gay, was shot dead in South Africa on Saturday, according to local police as reported by CNN.

Citing Eastern Cape Provincial Police, CNN said that the police were investigating the death of Muhsin Hendricks, who was 58, in Bethelsdorp stating that the motive behind the killing was unclear.

The statement noted that Hendricks and a driver were inside a “gold-colored VW TRoc” at Haley Place, Extension 24, Bethelsdorp when a silver-colored Hilux double cab stopped in front and blocked them from driving off.

The statement said, “Two unknown suspects with covered faces got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at the vehicle. Thereafter they fled the scene, and the driver noticed that Hendricks who was seated at the back of the vehicle was shot and killed.”

CNN cited a statement from the advocacy group the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA World) which said that Hendricks was the “first imam in the world to come out as gay” in 1996.

A statement issued by ILGA World said, “ILGA World is shocked to learn about the assassination of Muhsin Hendricks, a South African Islamic scholar who has often been described as the world’s first openly gay Imam.”

South Africa’s Department of Justice and Constitutional Development said it was “saddened” by Hendrick’s murder and pledged to “track and monitor that justice is dispensed” if his death is indeed confirmed as a hate crime.

According to CNN, Hendricks founded the Al-Ghurbaah Foundation in Cape Town, where he served as executive director.

As per Al-Ghurbaah Foundation’s website, it is a “Human Right Organization that provides Psycho-Spiritual and Psycho-Social support to Queer Muslims helping them to reconcile Islam with their Sexual orientation and Gender Identity.”

CNN also cited the Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa (MJC) which “unequivocally” condemned the “shocking killing” in a statement Sunday.

“It has been alleged that the killing may have been motivated by hatred towards Muhsin Hendricks due to his views on same-sex relationships. While the MJC has consistently maintained that Muhsin’s position is incompatible with Islamic teachings, we unequivocally condemn his murder and any acts of violence targeting members of the LGBTQ community or any other community,” the MJC said.

According to CNN, a 2022 documentary- “The Radical” followed Hendricks as he established a mosque for LGBTQ+ Muslims in Cape Town, South Africa, amid death threats.


(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

AI from India, for the world: The state of AI in India, key sectors focussing on the use of AI and the future

Debraj B
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AI from India, for the world: The state of AI in India, key sectors focussing on the use of AI and the future

While launching the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence in October 2016, Stephen Hawking said, “Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last..” He was referring to the risks associated with this pathbreaking technological advancement. 

State of AI in India

Indeed, the rise of AI has seen tectonic transformation being envisaged across industries while allowing for a section of cautious optimists calling out possible risks associated with the unchecked advancement of this technology. India has been at the forefront of advancing AI, with NITI Aayog’s AIforAll initiative and its focus on 5 key sectors doing the groundwork, followed by the Digital India mission. IndiaAI and other initiatives have been instrumental in proliferating the benefits of AI across industries. 

For the uninitiated, and in simple parlance, Artificial Intelligence is a constellation of technologies that enable machines to emulate and possibly outdo human intelligence, by way of sensing, analyzing, acting, and learning from data and its own workflows. Just by comprehending this basic definition can make us wonder of the endless possibilities AI can have across sectors. 

Sectoral focus

India has witnessed appreciable progress in AI within a few key industries.

Healthcare

The application of AI in healthcare can help address issues of high barriers to access to healthcare facilities, particularly in rural areas of India that suffer from poor connectivity and limited supply of healthcare professionals. This can be achieved through the implementation of Use Cases such as AI-driven diagnostics, personalized treatment, early identification of potential pandemics, and imaging diagnostics, among others. Firms like Citius Tech funded by Bain Capital and General Atlantic, Fitpass, Zyla Health funded by Kae Capital are already pushing boundaries around health analytics and personalized care management. 

Agriculture

AI holds the promise of driving a food revolution and meeting the increased demand for food. It also has the potential to address challenges that many farmers face such as inadequate demand prediction, lack of assured irrigation, and overuse/misuse of pesticides and fertilizers. Some prominent Use Cases include improvement in crop yield through real time advisory, advanced detection of pest attacks, and prediction of crop prices to inform sowing practices. Firms like Cropin are providing precision agriculture services based on satellite imagery, weather patterns, and AI-powered analyses. Fasal is building AI-powered recommendations around pest control and irrigation needs, while firms like Digital Green are using LLMs to organize large volumes of data and analyze insights therefrom.   

Smart Mobility

Pertinent Use Cases include autonomous fleets for ride-sharing, semi-autonomous features such as driver assist, and predictive engine monitoring and maintenance. Companies like Ather Energy provide a vertically integrated system of production for scooters. Firms like Sun Mobility are catering to battery-swapping solutions, while startups like Bounce Share are addressing first and last-mile connectivity.

Retail and CPG

Retail has been one of the early adopters of AI, with personalized recommendations, image-based product search, improved demand forecasting and lot many Use Cases being top of the mind for many Retailers. Companies like Shiprocket provide e-commerce shipping and fulfilment platforms, while firms like Bizom provide retail intelligence using proprietary analytics engines to brands and retailers.

Manufacturing

‘Factory of the Future’ can be aided using AI, which encompasses engineering (R&D efforts), production (cost reduction), preemptive maintenance, quality control (vision systems and other IoT devices for sensing issues), and a lot more. Companies like Uptime AI are providing cloud-based predictive maintenance solutions, while firms like Zyod provide apparel sourcing and manufacturing platforms. 

Education and skilling

Potential use cases include augmenting and enhancing the learning experience through personalized learning, automating and expediting administrative tasks, and predicting the need for student intervention to reduce dropouts or recommend vocational training. Firms like Miko are providing AI-powered companion robots for children, while companies like iNurture provide curriculum design solutions for job-oriented courses to universities. 

And the list of sectors goes on.

What India has to offer

With such a rich base of companies, both established as well as start-ups and an expert talent pool, India can be the AI factory of the world. Key areas that India can contribute to in terms of AI skill base:

Use Case capital

During his Delhi leg of Microsoft’s AI tour in January of this year, Satya Nadella rightly called out India as the AI “use case capital of the world”. The good part of the Indian AI ecosystem is, that it is not just being theorized but put into action with massive diffusion and impact. India can provide a repertoire of grassroots Use Cases across rural development, agriculture, local governance, and sectors like Manufacturing, Retail, and Green energy – that can be leveraged by nations abroad. The country is in a unique spot where technology is being made fungible across rural and urban development, including smart cities. This uniqueness lends the nation to manifest a set of niche Use Cases and Proofs of Concept (POCs) for the world. 

Primary Source for Synthetic Data

India has a rich base of industries across the spectrum, which makes it a good harvest spot for training data, that are crucial for models including LLMs and SLMs. Wherever raw data is unavailable, technologists and business persons leverage Synthetic data to get requisite insights. In fact, the growing boom in this space is something India can leverage, given the remarkable base of data engineers, data scientists, and domain experts present in the country.

(Source: 2024 Gartner Inc.)

Provider of AI-ready Data

AI outputs are as good as the quality of underlying data. To make data AI-ready, data engineers play a crucial role. India has a huge and skilled talent pool here, and the nation can be a source of AI-ready data for industries and governments alike. While sectors across developed and developing nations can benefit alike, data on governance, sustainability, green energy, and rural empowerment can come to the aid of governments across other nations. 

Alignment of data as per requirements, validation and qualification of the data, followed by data stewardship and governance are 3 pillars that India can strategically bet around being the Data nerve centre of the world. 

This can also encompass a Common Data Platform across key sectors, like minerals, manufacturing, chemicals, utilities, commodities, and others that are used by nations and governments for providing public goods and public services. A unified intelligence platform to glean insights, around data that are consumed by all nations alike, could augur well for governance.

Responsible AI Hub

A key challenge that industries and governments the world over are facing around AI applications is the propensity around bias, hallucinations, objectionable outputs, and so on. The risks come in many forms. 

Building a robust framework around Responsible AI is something India can take the lead on. This framework can be modified basis individual nations and their priorities around ethics. The base framework to test and improve LLMs can be built from India, for the world (including governments, non-profits, civil society forums using AI, etc.) at large. 

India as AI Capital of the World

In the recently concluded AI Action Summit in Paris, co-chaired by India and France, PM Modi talked about “deep inter-dependence across borders” shaping technological imperatives, thereby necessitating the “need for collective global efforts to establish governance and standards that uphold our shared values, address risks, and build trust”. 

The tenets of AI and technological prowess have surprisingly been imbued within Bharat’s ancient culture too. It is fascinating when one reads about ‘Pushpak Viman’ in Ramayana – reminding us of a possible state-of-the-art private jet. Or when Sanjay in Mahabharata was given ‘Divya Drishti’ by Krishna to ‘see’ the battlefield live, hinting at a setup involving present-day cameras and satellite feeds. The famed ‘Brahmastra’ getting dropped precisely on enemy territory has oft been compared to modern-day GPS. Thus, India’s leadership in AI stems from not just her technological prowess, but a natural progression of a cultural legacy.    

Budget 2025 saw an 18.64% increase in budgetary allocation for MeiTY over 2024. India’s AI mission saw an allocation of INR 2000 CR. Central Gov’s focus on making India an AI powerhouse is clearly evident. The question remains – Can the success of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ be replicated in the firmament of AI too? 

The answer to that might as well determine if India can lead the charge of a neo-geopolitical world order in the years to come!    

Pune: 300 cats found inside one apartment, resident was rescuing stray cats from streets

ANI
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Pune: 300 cats found inside one apartment, resident was rescuing stray cats from streets

 Around 300 cats were found in a residential apartment in Pune’s Marvel Bounty Society, prompting intervention by the Municipal Corporation following complaints from neighbours, officials said on Monday.

According to the police, one flat owner has been feeding the stray cats. Once they become healthy, the cats are released. However, the neighbours are troubled by the unhygienic conditions in society caused by the cats.

Speaking on the matter, Inspector Nilesh Jagdale said, “The owner of an apartment in Marvel Bounty Society would often bring stray cats home and release them when the cats became healthy… Due to this, many cats had accumulated in the apartment, creating unhygienic conditions, which disturbed the neighbours.”

“The owner of a flat on the 9th floor has kept several cats in that flat, resulting in foul smells in the society. After the complaint, a team visited the flat and served notice to shift the cats,” he added.

He stated that a notice was issued to the flat owner to release the cats within two days.

“The neighbours called the Municipal Corporation, and its officials reached the apartment, surveyed the flats, and notified the owner that all the cats would be released within 2 days… No case has been registered yet, and we will consult our senior officials and corporation officials to take legal action. The cats will go into the possession of the Municipal Corporation and will be rescued…,’ he said.

The notice comes in response to concerns the society’s residents raised regarding foul smells emanating from the ninth-floor apartment.

The issue has sparked discussions among residents and authorities about the need for proper animal care facilities and pet owners’ responsibilities in maintaining hygiene and cleanliness in shared living spaces. 


(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Researcher organises ‘conference’, sponsored by Michigan University, to peddle anti-India propaganda, had objected to OpIndia’s expose of George Soros: Here are the speakers

Dibakar Dutta
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Researcher organises ‘conference’, sponsored by Michigan University, to peddle anti-India propaganda, had objected to OpIndia’s expose of George Soros: Here are the speakers

Controversial US-based ‘researcher’ Joyojeet Pal, known for his obscure study to discourage investigation into the Sushant Singh Rajput case, is organising a hybrid conference to peddle anti-India propaganda in the US.

Pal is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan. He is also the organiser of the ‘Social Media and Society in India’ symposium, which brings anti-India forces under one roof.

The 5th edition of the international conference is set to be held between the 4th and 5th of April this year in Ann Arnbor city of Michigan.

Screengrab of the banner of the event

The event is sponsored by the School of Information, the Center for South Asia Studies and the Year of Democracy – all of which are affiliated with the University of Michigan.

Speakers at the ‘Social Media and Society in India’ event

A cursory look at the list of speakers highlights the nefarious agenda of the organiser of the conference.

  • Mahua Moitra 

Mahua Moitra is a Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP from Krishnanagar constituency. She is famous for making Hinduphobic ‘gaumutra jibes’, hurling expletives at fellow Parliamentarians and uncanny obsession with ‘khaki underwear.’ The defining moment of her career was her expulsion from the Parliament in ‘cash for query’ scam.

In October 2023, the Indian political scene experienced a major tremor as BJP MP Nishkant Dubey wrote to the ethics committee seeking an inquiry against TMC MP Mahua Moitra in the ‘Cash for Query’ matter.

He based his complaint on the letter written by Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, who alleged that most of the questions asked by the TMC MP in Lok Sabha directly or indirectly benefit businessman Darshan Hiranandani.

Dehadrai also accused Moitra of “kidnapping” his pet dog Henry, adding another layer of complications to Mahuagate. Moitra filed a case against Dubey and Dehadrai but never denied accepting gifts.

Interestingly, she was accused of sharing her Lok Sabha credentials with Hiranandani so he could post questions independently. Hiranandani has turned approver in the case and submitted an affidavit suggesting the allegations against Moitra are true.

 On 8th December 2023, Lok Sabha expelled Trinamool Congress’s MP Mahua Moitra based on the recommendations of the Ethics Committee in a cash-for-query case. Moitra was expelled hours after the Ethics Committee report was tabled in Lok Sabha.

  • Zeeshan Ayub

Zeeshan Ayyub, who has appeared in several films, TV series and web series, made headlines for the wrong reasons many times. When we searched his timeline, one particular post drew attention.

Notably, on 24th February 2020, when the anti-Hindu Delhi Riots of 2020 were going on, he said on Twitter (now X), “Why it feels like those who support CAA are talking about bloodshed and killing along with CAA!!??”

Ayyub tried to divert the blame for riots to those who were in support of CAA while it was the other way around.

Source: X

Notably, he also used social media to give out messages to gather at protest sites. In January 2020, he published a short video on Facebook asking people from Jamia and Okhla to gather at Shaheen Bagh as police reached there in two buses.

In September 2020, he made an Instagram post calling for the release of Khalid. His wife Rasika had also featured in chats

Source: Instagram

A month later, he posted a video in support of Khalid where he called the Delhi Riots accused “peace-loving and non-violent”. In short, Zeeshan used every possible platform, let it be media or social media to propagate against CAA and support the likes of Umar Khalid.

Apart from his activist activities, Zeeshan has been surrounded by controversies on several occasions. One of the most talked about controversies was the derogatory portrayal of Bhagwan Shiv in the web series Tandav which was later removed following the protests by the public and police complaints.

  • Suchitra Vijayan

Suchitra Vijayan is the founder of the George Soros-funded-Polis Project. A casual look at Suchitra Vijayan’s Twitter timeline shows her political antecedents. She had expressed her open support and admiration for Delhi riot accused Umar Khalid.

In 2023, Suchitra Vijayan also supported ‘journalist’ Irfan Mehraj who was arrested in connection with a ‘terror funding case.’ NIA had pointed out that Mehraj was a close associate of ‘activist’ Khurram Parvez and a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS).

According to Disinfo Lab, the Facebook page of the Polis Project has a Pakistan-based admin, even though her entire propaganda work is based on India.

The OSNIT handle also stated that ‘The Polis Project’ is regularly featured in events of the Islamist organisation ‘Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC).

  • Sonam Wangchuk

Controversial Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk has also been roped in as one of the speakers at the  ‘Social Media and Society in India’ symposium.

In March 2024, he courted controversy by making derogatory remarks about Lord Ram and Sita while trying to target the Modi government.

“I see it in the way that they [Central government] turned out to be such Ram who freed Sita from Raavan but didn’t take her home rather they put her on sale in an open market. So like this, they have left Ladakh open for industrialists and mining lobbies without any protection [from the government],” Sonam Wangchuk had claimed.

In February 2025, Sonam Wangchuk participated in the ‘Breathe Pakistan’ conference, which was held in the city of Islamabad. The ‘climate change conference’ was organised by the group ‘Dawn Media’ to create awareness about climate change in Pakistan.

OpIndia had reported in February 2023 how villagers in Ladakh complained about Sonam Wangchuk causing more harm than good through his Ice Stupa artificial glacier project.

  • Peeing Human

Joyojeet Pal had also invited Ramit Verma, the man behind the AAP propaganda channel ‘Official Peeing Human,’ as a speaker.

In February 2020, the handle had falsely claimed that goons belonging to the BJP and RSS were harassing girls at Gargi College, University of Delhi.

At that time, the then DCP Atul Thakur told journalist Swati Goel Sharma that investigations did not reveal any political affiliation of those involved in Gargi college harassment case.

“They all are either college students or their friends,” he said, rejecting allegations that the attackers were from BJP and RSS.

  • Raqib Hameed Naik

One of the speakers at the event is an Islamist and vicious fake news peddler named Raqib Hameed Naik. He is the founder of anti-Hindu disinformation outlet ‘Hindutva Watch,’ the Twitter account of which was withheld in India in January 2024.

Raqib Hameed Naik is also infamous for denying the Hindu genocide, perpetrated by radical Islamists in the Kashmir Valley, in the early 1990s. Naik had also mocked the Hindu ‘Shivling’ found inside the Gyanvapi mosque in Kashi.

  • Pratik Sinha

Pratik Sinha is a well-known #MeToo accused and the co-founder of Alt News, an Islamist propaganda outlet masquerading as a ‘fact-checking’ website. Sinha has been involved in peddling fake news on several occasions.

In December 2020, popular X user @BefittingFacts took to Twitter to expose the AltNews co-founder Pratik Sinha for flooding social media platforms with fake and misleading information.

The Twitter user said that Sinha, a Hindu-hater masquerading as a ‘fact-checker’, made a career out of abusing and denigrating PM Modi through dubious portals such as Truth of Gujarat, eopinion and Alt News.

In the aftermath of demonetisation back in 2016, Sinha had shared images of people standing in long queues at financial institutes to allege that people had to go through hardships because of the Modi government’s decision. However, in doing so, Sinha shared a picture from 2014, about two years before the Demonetisation to portray that the decision had caused misery among people.

In another instance shared by the Twitter user, Sinha was caught using an image from 2004 to peddle the condition of cows in Gujarat in 2016. In the year 2016, Sinha shared another picture on his Twitter account where cows were seen lying on the road.

Sinha, in his bid to mock the Gau Rakshaks, commented, “Gau Matas rotting and being scavenged on in Gujarat. Where are the sons professing undying love for their mata?”

The image shared by Sinha was from 2004 when many cows had died because of Nitrate poisoning but Sinha felt no compunction in using a 12-year-old picture to ridicule the Gau Rakshaks.

Sinha also actively participated in perpetuating the lie regarding PM Modi’s alleged promise to transfer Rs 15 lakhs to bank accounts if elected to power.

  • Neha Dixit

Another controversial speaker invited to the event includes ‘freelance journalist’ Neha Dixit.

In 2016, Dixit published a misleading article in Outlook magazine, wherein she falsely accused two RSS-backed organisations (Rashtra Sevika Samiti and Sewa Bharati) of trafficking 31 young tribal girls from Assam to ‘Hinduise’ them.

5 years later in May 2021, she repeated the same outrageous claims against Sewa International without furnishing any evidence.

Screengrab of the tweet of Neha Dixit

In a tweet, she claimed, “Dear NRIs, Please don’t donate to Sewa International for Covid relief. They work as the welfare wing of RSS. Apart from supporting BJP govt’s massive crimes including abandoning Indian citizens in the pandemic, they also traffic children from tribal areas to indoctrinate them.”

A case was thereafter filed against her in the Patiala House court.

  • Kunal Majumder

Kunal Majunder, who had previously worked with Tarun Tejpal and ‘the ‘Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)’ was also listed as one of the speakers on the website of the 2025 ‘Social Media and Society in India’ symposium.

OpIndia had reported in 2015 how Kunal Majumder had deliberately misconstrued a statement by former US President Barack Obama. The ‘journalist’ had alleged Obama supposedly delivered a ‘speech against Hindutva loonies’ although he did not.

Instead of issuing a correction, Majumder deleted the tweet. He had also retweeted another tweet, falsely claiming that the Modi government photoshopped the image of the Preamble of the Indian Constitution to remove the terms ‘secular’ and ‘socialist.’

In 2022, Majumder extended his support to scam-accused ‘journalist’ Rana Ayyub and targeted OpIndia for highlighting accusations against her of siphoning funds meant for COVID-19 relief work.

The curious case of Joyojeet Pal

Joyojeet Pal shot to fame in October 2020 when the leftist propaganda website The Wire passed off an obscure study, conducted by him and his acquaintances in their personal capacities, as official research paper published by the University of Michigan.

The Wire published an article titled “Sushant Singh Rajput: Study Reveals BJP’s Hand in Hyping Conspiracy Theories.”

It claimed that the University of Michigan determined through a study that ‘members of the BJP’ somehow amplified conspiracy theories surrounding the unnatural death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

The Wire passing off ‘study’ by four individuals as that of University of Michigan

The article claimed that the researchers ‘analysed’ social media trends over three months to conclude that pro-BJP social media handles ‘cranked up the rumour mill’.

The Wire alleged that people demanding a fair probe into the actor’s death were ‘troll attacks’. The Wire did not clarify it was not an official study by the University of Michigan. It was also picked up by India Today.

Later, the varsity clarified the facts to OpIndia in an email. “This study was conducted while he was on leave. As a faculty member he has a website on the university’s domain where he is able to showcase his work,” the then spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald told OpIndia.

In April 2023, Joyojeet Pal was in the spotlight once again over his ‘new study‘, decrying the expose of far-left Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros.

Two months earlier, Soros exploited the Adani-Hindenburg controversy and launched a scathing attack on the Indian government.

He had claimed, “Modi and business tycoon Adani are close allies. Their fate is intertwined…Adani Enterprises tried to raise funds in the stock market, but it failed. Adani is accused of stock manipulation and his stock collapsed like a house of cards.”

Soros accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of crony capitalism. “Modi is silent on the subject, but he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and in parliament,” he added.

The Hungarian-American billionaire also said that the ‘shakedown’ caused to the Indian markets due to the Hindenburg Research report will result in ‘much needed institutional reforms’ and ‘democratic revival’. 

George Soros and his vicious ecosystem of NGOs, activists and journalists had been trying to prove PM Modi as an ‘electoral autocrat’ who needed to be ousted for the ‘greater good’ of this country. And it has been a work in progress for a long time.

Joyojeet Pal and his co-author thus published a ‘new study’ in April 2023 to defend George Soros. It was initially titled ‘Enter a new enemy: George Soros and Indian Twitter’ but later changed to ‘The Framing of George Soros as a Political Puppetmaster on Indian Social Media Networks.’

Screengrab of the study by Joyojeet Pal

Joyojeet Pal raised objections at the impact that OpIndia made by revealing the ties of George Soros to the Deep State and his attempts to undermine Indian democracy.

“Media that lean pro-government like TimesNow, Republic and OpIndia covered Soros the most, with OpIndia being most effective in getting eyeballs...In addition to the Congress, a series of messages aims to vilify a range of people funded at some point or another by Open Society. OpIndia leads the charge on this by doxing several individuals & NGOs presenting them as anti-national,” his study conceded.

In October 2023 and January 2024, Pal delivered seminars on the ‘intersection of online influencers with political actors in India.’

In June 2023, he published another ‘study’ wherein Pal claimed that former Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud was being accused of being ‘a foreign agent, a threat to democracy and an internal enemy’ by troll accounts with ties to the BJP.

OpIndia pointed out in November last year how the left-liberal ecosystem in India had been targeting the ex-CJI depending on whether a particular case was decided as per their whims and fancies.

Joyojeet Pal has organised 4 editions of the ‘Social Media and Society in India (SMSI)’ symposium at the University of Michigan since its inception. And each time, he had been successful in platforming a large number of anti-India propagandists on one stage. The 2025 edition appears to be no different.

Kerala hand-chopping case: NIA chargesheets PFI worker for sheltering key accused who chopped professor TJ Joseph’s hand over blasphemy accusations

ANI
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Kerala hand-chopping case: NIA chargesheets PFI worker for sheltering key accused who chopped professor TJ Joseph’s hand over blasphemy accusations

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday chargesheeted the harbourer of the key accused in the Kerala professor’s palm chopping case.

Shafeer C, a cadre of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), has been charge-sheeted under various sections of IPC and UA(P)A.

NIA investigations have revealed that Shafeer had knowingly given shelter to Savad, the prime assailant of Professor TJ Joseph, by providing him safe asylum, a job under false identity and other facilities. Savad was chargesheeted in the case in 2011.

The 2010 case related to the attempted murder of Professor TJ Joseph, a former head of the Malayalam department of Newman College, Thodupuzha, Idukki district. The professor was attacked by a group of PFI workers at Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district for allegedly ridiculing Prophet Mohammed in a Malayalam question paper prepared for the internal examination for B.Com. The attackers cut off Joseph’s right palm and hurled a bomb to spread terror among the public before fleeing the scene of the crime.

A total of 19 persons, all identified as leaders or activists/cadres of the banned PFI, have so far been convicted in the case.

The government banned PFI and several of its associate organisations on September 28, 2022, for five years under the stringent anti-terror law, accusing them of having links with global terror groups like ISIS.

In an interview with ANI in February of 2023, Amit Shah said that the organisation promoted “radicalism and religious bigotry” and tried to prepare “raw material for terrorism” and any delay in action would not have been in the national interest.

“We have banned PFI successfully. PFI promoted radicalism and religious bigotry. They were in a way trying to prepare raw materials for terrorism. So many documents have been found which show that their activities were not good for the country’s unity and integrity,” Amit Shah said in an exclusive interview with ANI.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

‘Not party’s views’: Congress once again distances itself from Sam Pitroda’s remarks, this time on China

OpIndia Staff
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‘Not party’s views’: Congress once again distances itself from Sam Pitroda’s remarks, this time on China

On 17th February, the Congress Party distanced itself from the remarks made by Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda regarding China. The grand old party clarified that Pitroda’s statements do not reflect the party’s position on China. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X, “The views allegedly expressed by Sam Pitroda on China are not those of the Indian National Congress.”

Congress clarifies stand on China

The clarification from the Congress Party came after Pitroda questioned the notion of a ‘threat from China’. He stated that it was hard for him to fully understand and claimed the issue is often exaggerated. He further remarked, “There is a tendency in the US to define an enemy, and I believe this is often blown out of proportion.”

Responding to his remarks, Ramesh said, “The alleged views expressed by Mr Sam Pitroda on China are certainly not those of the Indian National Congress. China remains the biggest challenge in our foreign policy, external security, and economic domain. The Congress Party has repeatedly questioned the Modi government’s approach towards China, including the public ‘clean chit’ given by the Prime Minister on 19 June 2020. Our most recent statement on China was issued on 28 January 2025. It is also highly unfortunate that Parliament is not being given the opportunity to discuss this situation and collectively express a resolution to effectively address these challenges.”

What did Sam Pitroda say?

On 17th February, while speaking to IANS, Pitroda claimed, “I don’t know what is the threat from China. I think there is always this thing blown out of (at times) proportion.” He blamed the US for creating a hostile perception of China. He went on to blame India for harbouring an attitude of confrontation towards the Communist regime. Pitroda added, “Our attitude is that of confrontation from day one and that attitude creates enemy and that creates certain support in the country. I think we need to change that pattern. To assume that China is the enemy from day one is just not fair, not just to China but to anybody.”

He continued to heap praises on China. Sam Pitroda concluded, “I think it is time for us to learn to increase communication, collaborate, cooperate and co-create and not have this command and control mindset. China is around, China is growing.”

Congress distanced from Sam Pitroda’s remarks several times

This is not the first time Congress has distanced itself from controversial remarks by Sam Pitroda. In April 2024, while the Lok Sabha Elections were ongoing, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh contradicted the statements of the Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s advisor Sam Pitroda after the latter suggested that a US-like inheritance tax should be brought in India. Ramesh posted his statement on X and said that Sam Pitroda’s comments are his personal view and should not be considered as INC’s views.

“Pitroda expresses his opinions freely on issues he feels strongly about. Surely, in a democracy, an individual is at liberty to discuss, express, and debate his personal views. This does not mean that Pitroda’s views always reflect the position of the Indian National Congress. Many times they do not,” Ramesh said in an X post.

Earlier, in December 2023, Ramesh distanced Congress from Pitroda saying his statement is not an official statement of the Congress Party after Pitroda, while speaking to ANI, targeted the Central government asking if Ram Mandir is the real issue or unemployment is.

Are thousands of Muslims being forced to flee Sambhal, as claimed by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi? Local Muslims and police bust the claim

OpIndia Staff
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Are thousands of Muslims being forced to flee Sambhal, as claimed by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi? Local Muslims and police bust the claim

On 16th February, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) supremo Asaduddin Owaisi claimed that Muslims residing in the communally sensitive Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh are being forced to migrate. While questioning the supposed silence of the Uttar Pradesh government on the alleged forced displacement of Sambhal Muslims, Owaisi downplayed past incidents wherein Hindus were forced to leave their homes due to Muslim harassment.

Taking to X, Asaduddin Owaisi quoted a post that had a newspaper cutting attached claiming that thousands of houses are locked in Sambhal and people are forced to flee. He said, “Sambhal is now engulfed in such an atmosphere of fear and oppression that people are being forced to leave their homes. The government must stop targeting Muslims in Sambhal and giving them collective punishment; steps for confidence-building should be taken as soon as possible. Modi and the BJP repeatedly spread false rumours that there was an ‘exodus’ of Hindu society in some areas, and every time it was proven to be false. Here, even the police and administration admit that Muslims are being forcibly displaced, so why is the government silent?”

However, contrary to the claims made by the AIMIM chief, the locals and administration refuted Owaisi’s claim. Muslims living around the disputed Jama Masjid said that there has been no migration in the area and none of the houses are locked.

Notably, after the Islamists ran riots on 24th November 2024 and attacked the team that came to survey the disputed structure on court order, several houses were locked for a few days as people temporarily left their houses, however, after the situation returned to normalcy, they returned.

Speaking to AajTak, a local Muslim woman named Salma said that no one has left the area out of any fear or coercion. The grocery shop owner further stated that if any house is locked it is due to personal reasons.

Similarly, one Ali Abdul said that some people had temporarily left the area after the 24th November violence, however, they all have returned as the situation became normal in Sambhal. Several others also asserted that a few houses seen locked are either empty or their residents have gone out for personal reasons.

Meanwhile, Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi said that that 2500-3000 people were involved in the violence in Sambhal on 24th November and they pelted stones and committed arson. 79 people involved in the violence were arrested and jailed, in addition, posters of those absconding have also been put up. The officer stated that those missing from Sambhal were most likely the accused rioters. He further refuted the claims of forced displacement of Muslims and said that it is “100 per cent wrong”, adding that life in Sambhal has returned to normal.

Bangladesh: Mohammad Yunus govt launches “Operation Devil Hunt” to persecute Sheikh Hasina loyalists, 4700 arrests so far

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh: Mohammad Yunus govt launches “Operation Devil Hunt” to persecute Sheikh Hasina loyalists, 4700 arrests so far

The Mohammad Yunus government, which came to power in Bangladesh following a coup last year has been engaged in a never-ending cycle of oppression regarding its political opponents. Yunus government has vowed to finish off former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League. Special operations are being carried out to arrest the party workers and leaders. The police personnel who tried to stop the violence during the coup are also being thrown behind bars.

Additionally, members of Sheikh Hasina’s party are being harassed by the current administration. The “Operation Devil Hunt” has been initiated by the authorities to apprehend them and so far 4790 people have been taken into custody. The majority of individuals are members of the Awami League and related groups. The government does not want Awami League workers to expose its misdeeds. Army, police and paramilitary troops have been mobilised throughout the nation to arrest them.

The government has claimed that this campaign has been launched to catch criminals and improve law and order. Former MPs and ministers are also targeted, in addition to the Awami League members. The administration has so far arrested and imprisoned over 100 Awami League MPs and former ministers under multiple offenses including prominent woman leader Dipu Moni. Apart from Sheikh Hasina, about 200 leaders have fled to different countries including India to escape persecution from the government which is arresting the alleged criminals in the country.

However, it has not been able to nab even a single goon who attacked Sheikh Hasina’s house in broad daylight. Now, the government is targeting 1059 police officers who tried to quell the violence that occurred in Bangladesh in July and August. Cases have been filed against them on charges of shootings and killings during quota unrest and 41 have already been arrested. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdullah Al Mamun, who was the head of police in Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina’s government has also been nabbed.

They are being hounded in the name of crimes against humanity. The government has also detained Asaduzzaman Mia, the former Dhaka police commissioner. He has been charged with the same offenses. The action is not only restricted to high-ranking police officials but the majority of officials who served as police commissioners of Bangladesh’s main cities under Sheikh Hasina’s tenure have also been imprisoned. The administration is accused of retaliating against them for their actions against Islamic fundamentalists.

India’s Got Latent Row: FIR filed against all members of Samay Raina’s show, YouTube channel deactivated

OpIndia Staff
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India’s Got Latent Row: FIR filed against all members of Samay Raina’s show, YouTube channel deactivated

An FIR has been registered against all individuals associated with India’s Got Latent Case following multiple complaints nationwide regarding comments made by YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia on the show.

A total of 42 individuals, including artists, producers, and influencers, have been summoned for questioning. Among those accused so far are Samay Raina, Apoorva Mukhija, and Ranveer Allahbadia. Statements have already been recorded from key figures, including Devesh Dixit and Raghu Ram.

Authorities have since ordered the removal of all related videos and mandated the deactivation of the show’s official YouTube account until the investigation is complete.

The controversy began when cyber officials flagged an allegedly inappropriate video, leading to its removal. Subsequently, comedian Samay Raina was directed to take down all content linked to the case.

The controversy erupted after Ranveer Allahbadia aka BeerBicepsGuy’s video making crass a joke about parents went viral on the internet, drawing condemnation from several quarters, following which the podcaster issued an apology. However, the matter escalated after FIRs were filed against him and other participants of the show were summoned for questioning. Earlier today, another FIR was filed against Allahbadia in Jaipur.

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